PhD Program

General Information

The Ph.D. curriculum provides thorough training for future economists through graduate courses, seminars, tutorial instruction, and research workshops. It is designed to give students a solid foundation in economic theory and quantitative methods and a wide choice of specializations in preparation for careers in universities, research organizations, industry, and financial institutions. Over 190 students have received doctorates in economics since the inception of the Ph.D. program in 1960.

The following fields are offered within both the M.A. and the Ph.D. sequences: Health Economics, Labor and Human Resources, Industrial Organization, International Economics, and Applied Macroeconomics. Fields may not be offered every year depending on the availability of faculty to teach them.

The Ph.D. degree offered by the Economics Department is a scholarly degree. It indicates not only a superior knowledge of economics, but also intellectual initiative and an ability to design and to carry out independent research. Our Ph.D. curriculum is solidly grounded in techniques of economic analysis, with important applications in a wide variety of applied fields.

Admission to the Ph.D. program is contingent upon admission to the Graduate School. The program usually involves two to three years of course work, followed by two to three more years of effort on doctoral research. Because the program is rigorous and adheres to strict timetables, it is unusual to combine doctoral study with full-time employment.

Teaching and research assistantships providing tuition, stipends, and health insurance are available each year to highly qualified graduate students. Fellowships and tuition scholarships are also available.

Ph.D. graduates are in demand at universities, corporations, financial institutions, and government agencies. For a list of our recent graduate and where they are employed click here.